Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture India

Arunachal Pradesh agriculture is the main protagonist of the people out there and among all, Jhum cultivation is the major occupation in the state's agricultural sector. Jhum cultivation means collective farming and it acquires central position in the agricultural sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

The agriculture in Arunachal Pradesh mainly focuses on Jhuming. Jhum cultivation is the main occupation of the farmers in Arunachal Pradesh and it has been practiced since past few decades. Majority of people in Arunachal Pradesh are dependent on this field of agriculture for their livelihood. Jhuming involves cleaning a particular portion of jungle by cutting off the trees and burning them and then sowing seeds in those clear areas with the help of a poker. Jhuming cultivation is practiced in Arunachal Pradesh agriculture after a certain lapse of years and the process is popularly known as Jhum cycle. Men, women, and children of Arunachal Pradesh everyone participates in this field of agriculture and put forth a hard labor that continues for around 5-6 months.

Jhuming is not only about cleaning the particular patch of forest but it revolves around a number of other agricultural activities as well. This agricultural activity of Arunachal Pradesh demands weeding for about 4 times at the least, observing the area and protecting the growing plants from wild animals and birds, and then finally cultivating a scanty amount of various crops. This farming of crops which demands such a huge amount of continuous labor do not really help the inhabitants much as the amount is very less to suffice the population. This makes Arunachal Pradesh a less active state in agriculture.

Some major crops of Arunachal Pradesh are paddy, millet, wheat, pulses, potatoes, sugarcane, oilseeds, and maize. The agriculture in Arunachal Pradesh also comprise of production of few endemic vegetables such as sweet potatoes, brinjal, ginger, chillies, pumpkin, cucumber, and local cow pea. Fruit cultivation is also practiced in the agricultural sector of Arunachal Pradesh. The fruits that are cultivated include pineapple, apple, oranges, lemon, lichi, papaya, banana, plum, guava, cherries, peach walnut, and almond. Rice is the chief food crop in Arunachal Pradesh.

The rural belt of Arunachal Pradesh consists of 94 percent of the state's population form whom agriculture is the main occupation to earn their living. The agricultural department of Arunachal Pradesh has decided upon implementing a number of agricultural policies with an objective to increase the economic growth of the state and assuring more employment for the uneducated class of the rural areas through agricultural activities. Arunachal Pradesh experiences varied agro-climactic conditions and smooth topography which enables a great horticultural growth as well apart from food crops. Spices, aromatic and medical plants, flowers, and mushroom are highly cultivated in the horticultural sector of Arunachal Pradesh agriculture.